Siem Reap, Cambodia Part 3 - Bayon Temple & Banteay Srei

Banteay Srei Temple

While in Siem Reap we visited Banteay Srei Temple which was built in 967.  It's name means citadel of women or citadel of beauty, likely because of all of the intricate carvings of minor female deities that grace its red sandstone walls.   The buildings were much smaller in scale than any of the other temples we saw, and therefore archaeologists were able to restore larger portions.  There were many sections including libraries and a sanctuary guarded by statues of humans with animal heads.  It was a fascinating place!

Jack in a doorway (to give you an indication of size)

Ancient sanskrit writing

Bayon Temple

Next we were off to my favorite temple ever...When I first heard about Angkor Wat, lo those many years ago, I had no idea there were other amazing temples a stone's throw (or rather a few miles through the jungle) away.  In fact, I'd never heard of Bayon Temple.  What a treausre!

Look closely...Do you see the faces?

When we first arrived, we came to some very tall libraries (which looked like temples to me) with some of the steepest stone steps I'd ever seen in my life.  Parker asked if he could climb them.  Of course!  I couldn't wait to get a picture of him at the top.

Then I decided I wanted a picture of both of us at the top.  So, heart racing, I began to scale the stairs myself.  Either the people who designed them had teeny tiny feet, or the stairs had undergone some serious erosion through the years, or both because my giant American feet could only just fit on each step if they were completely sideways.  I got to the top and had Aaron snap a picture from below.  

I walked over to the other set of steps to exit and realized to my horror that the our guide climbing up with Caleb in her arms!  What?!  NOOO!  Visions of his blond head bouncing down the hard stone flew through my mind.  Is it appropriate to scream at a temple site?  I tried waving my arms to discourage her, but they were already halfway up.

Me reaching for Caleb

I laid on my stomach and reached my arms down as far as I could, snatching him up as soon as I was able.  What was she thinking?!  And how on God's green earth were we getting down?  I certainly wasn't going to let her hold him. Ever again.

There we are at the top at the right...planning our descent.

I tried descending on my own.  Where the heck was Aaron??  (Apparently he was now behind the library taking the picture above.)  I was starting to hyperventilate and my vision blurred from my tears.  We were both going to die up here, or rather down below atop a heap of jumbled stones.  Suddenly a small local man who had been watching our ordeal from below bounded up the steps on his impossibly tiny feet with the ease of a mountain goat.  He held out his hands.  Was I seriously going to hand my beautiful blond haired baby boy off to a complete stranger?  Um.  Yup.  I watched the man turn outward and skip down the stairs with Caleb in tow.  Just then, Aaron arrived to snap this great shot.  Thanks, babe.

As quickly as possible, I made my own awkward descent, snatched Caleb into my arms for the second time that morning, thanking the kind stranger profusely.

One would think that at that point we would simply cut our losses and head home.  Not the Lampoons Rausches!  Heck no!  There were more life-threatening adventures to be had!  (Not really, everything else was pretty smooth sailing after that.)

What awaited us was nothing short of amazing.  It was like something out of a story book or dream.  After passing through a series of hallways with shrines and giant phalluses, we came to the most incredible place...

Yup.  It's a phallus alright.  Why don't you touch it to be sure?  

Hundreds of giant faces (216 to be exact) were carved onto multiple towering temples.  Each structure had four faces, each facing a different direction - north, south, east, west.

While at first I assumed they represented Buddha, given their slight smiles and serene expressions, our guide explained they also strongly represented the king of the time and were likely a combination of the king, Buddha, and the bodhisattva of compassion called Avalokitesvara or Lokesvara.  Wow!

.

They were everywhere!

Pucker up!

I was sad to go, but we'd had a great time.  We spent our last night downtown.  We rode a tuk tuk (a kind of carriage attached to the back of a motorcycle) into town and strolled around for a bit.





We decided to forgo the crocodile pizza and ate a place called Genevieve's instead.  All in all, an amazing trip!





One last note...Parker lost a tooth on the van ride to the temple.  Below is the letter he dictated to the tooth fairy.  She still gave him a buck.

Happy birthday little big girl

Dear Maddie,

Just recently you tried to convince me you were a "young adult."  Say what?!  Where had you even heard that term?  You just giggled and insisted, "I am, mom!"  I have to remind you constantly you that you are still a girl, and a fairly little one at that.  Still, I find you and your friends talking with valley girl accents, "practicing being teenagers."  [Cue my rapid white hair growth.]

I used to fear your teenage years.  If I thought you'd turn out like the catty and/or clueless teenagers on television, I would still be concerned.  When I think about my own teenage misadventures, I cringe.  Then I remember two very important things: 1. You are not me.  2. You are in God's hands.

Proverbs 22:6 tells us, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."  So, sweet girl, I am trying my best to train you in the way you should go.  I am giving you the guidelines.  I know you will make mistakes and bad choices, but I am doing my darndest to let you know that you are and always will be loved by your parents and by God.  I am trusting that knowledge will sink way down into your very soul and provide you with the courage you need to live a good life.

You and Jack in Boracay

And little sister, you are well on your way.  You are a dear.  A sassy dear, but a dear all the same.  You are the sweetest big sister a boy could ask for.  Tonight I came home to find you closing the boys' door, whispering, "Goodnight Caleb, Ya-ya [Maddie] is going to sleep now.  Stay in bed."  When I asked her what she'd been doing, she replied, "Oh, we were playing cars, then I scratched his back, then I read him some books and sang him his goodnight song."

You continue to be a great little sister to Parker.  You are often completely selfless when it comes to him.  If you have candy, it's offered to him.  If you have money, and he wants it, you shrug and pass it over (until we stop him, of course).  You are not a pushover by any means.  You are just extremely generous.  If there is something you want, you will fight for it [literally], but generally, what's yours is his.

You absolutely crave affection.  We've figured out a way to make sure you get all the kisses and snuggles you need.  You tell us if your "love tank" is empty or low.  Now instead of pouting for no apparent reason, you are able to use your words to tell us what you need.  And once we hear the "love tank" status, let the hugging begin!  Sometimes you even use the whiteboard in your room to leave us love notes.  You are an excellent storyteller, illustrator, and communicator!




You are also quite the world traveller.  It is nothing to take you on a 4, 5, even 6 hour plane ride.  You know just how to stay in line at immigration.  You don't ever complain.  You climb aboard a tuk tuk with absolutely no hesitation.  You never cease to amaze me!

On the jetty to Boracay

On a tuk tuk in Cambodia

First hospital visit

Peanut challenge

This year brought many exciting changes.  Among them were the nut challenges you bravely completed at the hospital.  You had blood tests, and skin tests, and finally monitored nut consumption.  We learned you can eat many types of nuts safely, and we can even introduce peanuts into your diet.  I'm so proud of how brave and patient you have been through the entire process.  My favorite part was spending hours on end alone with you in the hospital where we read books, made bracelets, created a secret handshake, and watched movies.



This was a huge year for you.  You learned to ride a bike, you lost baby teeth, you mastered your school's ridiculously complicated uniform schedule.  But the most exciting development (in my opinion) was in the friendship department.  In years past, my mean mommy rule of only allowing as many birthday guests as you were years old was not a problem.  You were relatively shy and had a few close friends.  This year, however, you had so many sweet friendships, I nearly amended my rule.  Nearly, but not quite.  In the end, you chose seven of your closet friends from the neighborhood and from school.  And you had a ball!  My heart sang as I watched you parade around the house, directing the games, hostessing the stuffed animal tea party, opening your presents, all the while, surrounded by true friends.  My shy little girl is blossoming!  My prayer is that you will continue to develop real friendships, wherever we go.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:  If one falls down, his friend can help him up.  But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up.

I love you so much, and I'm so proud of the girl [not yet young adult] you are becoming.  I can't wait to watch you grow this year.  May God bless you, sweet girl!

Love,
Mommy

Maddie as Mary Poppins

And Then There Were Six...

Dear kids,

I am writing this blog post specifically for you.  Well, actually, I'm writing to your future therapist.  Remember the time when mom and dad got us a dog and then sent it back?  Yup.  I'm officially that parent.

The problem lies in a promise I made about 6 years ago.  "We can get a dog after the last baby is potty-trained."  Through the years, as the request for a puppy repeatedly resurfaced, this promise became my mantra.  Little did I know that we would be living in the land of condos [no yards] and leash laws and likely to move again internationally when the last baby was potty-trained.  Caleb used his last diaper in July.  I was starting to feel I had made you a piecrust promise - easily made, easily broken.

I wanted a dog for you.  (I still do.)  We have wanted to get a dog for you guys for ages.  We love dogs and know how great it is to bond with them.  When Ginger's darling picture popped up with the description of a quiet, gentle, six-month old, crate-trained pup who needed a good home, we convinced ourselves we could work out the details and started the process of adoption.

We told ourselves that the built-in baby gates in the halls would provide adequate protection against her escaping though our practically revolving front door.  Surely we could convince the neighborhood kids to knock before entering and our kids to remember to shut it as they left.  Right?  Right.  Turns out skinny little Ginger could fit right through the gap between the wall and the gate.  She's fast, too.  Doesn't help that she was a street dog, leery of people, and not keen on following commands.  There were a few times I was pretty certain she was going to meet her maker under the wheel of a taxi.

Ginger liked me a lot.  By that I mean, she didn't flinch when I would pet her.  She even jumped on me at times.  She only allowed me to put on her harness and leash.  I can't tell you how many times this week I heard that telltale I'm-about-to-pee-on-the-floor whine while I was unable to abandon my post (typically wiping a little bum).  Perhaps I should have been more specific about the thoroughness of the baby's potty-training when I made my promise...

While she liked me, she didn't bond with the family as a whole.  She preferred a spot under the kitchen table or under our bed to being in the same room with the family (even when we were really calm and quiet).  A large, jumpy puppy, she frightened Jack and Caleb in her playful moments.  Unaccustomed to being petted, she was far from the cuddly puppy Maddie and Parker desired.  Pretty soon, you all lost interest in walking her or trying to spend time with her.  

So I found myself spending my days caring for two young children and now a puppy that seemed as disinterested in our family as we were in her.  Clearly, not a good fit.  Thankfully, the adoption agency had informed us the first few weeks were really a trial period to see if it would work out.  At the time, I thought they were being overly cautious.  Who wouldn't want to keep a sweet puppy?  Turns out, we wouldn't.

Not a single tear was shed as Ginger left the house.  You all expressed disappointment that having a dog didn't work out, but there was no real love lost.  

Sorry guys.  I realize I should have tried with a younger puppy.  I also realize I don't have the time or energy necessary to care for a new puppy.  Perhaps when Caleb learns to wipe.  But I'm not making any promises...

Happy Anniversary 2015 - Maldives

I heard "our" song the other day.  It was from 1996.  The one-hit-wonder, Donna Lewis, released "I Love You Always Forever."  I shook my head and smiled as I drove down the road.  They play the weirdest things in Singapore sometimes!

I love you, always forever.
Near and far, close and together.
Everywhere I will be with you.
Everything I will do for you.

At 18 it had a different meaning than it does now.  Back then it meant I would drive to visit you at the University of Kentucky on the weekends (while I attended Murray State University).  Then at 22, it meant we would move, as newlyweds, to Cincinnati, Ohio.  As the years passed, it meant moving together every 18 months to 3 years so that we could sleep in the same bed.  You were offered high-travel jobs many times, but we opted to move together as a family to avoid those roles.

Now here we are in Singapore.  I still love you, "always forever."  The "near and far" part has never been more true for us.  You've traveled more in one year than you have during our 19 years together.  It's been challenging.  There have been many times I've complained, "I didn't sign up for this!"  But sometimes that just what marriage is: something you didn't sign up for.  Spouses grow and change.  Jobs change.  Health changes.  Love is a choice and a commitment.  It is joy and pain and work and wonderful.  It has evolved over the years from our teenage infatuation into the real deal.

I have fallen in love with you over and over.  From the butterflies in my stomach during our first kiss on the sidewalk in front of your mom's house, to the pride in seeing you in your first suit as you went on that GE job interview, to the excitement of our honeymoon, to the surge of our joy watching you hold our newborn, to the tearful gratitude for your silence about the piles of dishes in the sink and the offer to clean up the sick baby's vomit, to the wonder of exploring the world together with our family.

I knew you when every hair on your head was still black (except for that one weird white one you've had all along), when the laugh lines around your eyes disappeared when you weren't smiling, when you owned (and used) all that fancy climbing gear, when you didn't know how to change a diaper.

We grew up together.  And God-willing, we'll continue to grow together.  Thank you for loving me back.

Love always,
Jessie

P.S.  Thanks for planning and arranging our amazing anniversary trip!  I'll never forget it!

How Could You Be So Careless?

To the guard at school who asked me that question when I came to collect my missing wallet: thanks.  I've suspected for a long time that I should not have been granted adult status.  I'm too flighty, too scattered, too spirited, you name it, I'm too it.  

And yet, here I am...Late 30's, four kids to look after, and somehow surviving.  I wish I had answered that guard, "Pfft!  This?  This is nothing.  You should have seen me earlier when I'd lost my daughter in Ikea!"

Yup.  Lost Maddie today.  What is it about Ikea on the weekend in Singapore?  People flock to that place like American southerners to a grocery store on a snow day.  Wall-to-wall people.  So many I can hardly breathe.  In our desperation to get in and out, Aaron and I separated so he could take Jack on an emergency potty-break while I checked on the mattresses.  I watched Maddie follow them, asked my question of the salesclerk, and hightailed it out of there with Parker and Caleb.  Walking briskly to the bathrooms, it occurred to me that Aaron might not have known Maddie was following him.  Call, no answer.  Call, no answer.  Text.  Wait.  "No, she's with you."

It's a good think Caleb is too young to comprehend bad language.  I try hard not to use expletives, but in situations such as these, they have been known to escape my lips.  If Parker heard, he didn't let on. We ran through the sea of people.  All pretenses of manners and personal space flew out the window.  As we approached the bedding section, I saw an employee coming toward us, consoling my tearful girl.  

How am I allowed to care for multiple children?  I can barely take care of myself!  And concerned, wallet-holding guard, you should have seen the time I drove for nearly 2 miles with my wallet on top of the car as motorists frantically tried to pantomime their concerns.  

Am I careless?  Perhaps.  If you look at the definition of the word, perhaps you're right.  But I really don't like that word.  I do care.  I just happen to care about a lot of things at once.  Like properly buckling my children in their car seats (when I left my wallet on top of the car).  And like watching all four of them climb jungle gyms simultaneously this morning (when I left my wallet on that bench).  

Now as far as losing Maddie at Ikea…That one's a bit harder to explain.  That was bad.  In the end I'm really proud of her for following our instructions (go back to where you first were, seek out the help of an employee, etc.).  But situations like that cause me to wonder...How did I get to be an adult?  Did someone in charge make a mistake along the way?

Well, the only real One in charge is God, and immediately His word comes to mind:  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

The most organized, caring, detail-oriented Being I know seems to think I can do this job.  So I’m just gonna go with that!

Happy birthday, little man

Dear Jack,

Son, I wish I could type the words that would capture your spirit, and wrestle it onto this post, frozen for all eternity, so that anyone who read it would marvel at you the way I do.  But how does one bottle a giggle or trap a devilish grin?  Who is privy to hushed conversations shared with invisible super-heroes?  Who understands the sweetness of a forbidden thumb?  No camera has adequately recorded the sparkle in your big, round, blue eyes, peeking out from long, dark lashes.  No video, the skip in your step.  

One of my biggest fears is forgetting.  Forgetting the softness of your cheek on my skin, as your curl up next to me in the big green chair where we read about ninjas and dinosaurs and cars.  The silky, springy texture of your hair as my lips kiss the top of your head.  The chubby fingers wrapped around mine as we walk down stairs.  You no longer need my hand for balance.  You choose my hand, and my heart melts, and my eyes leak.

I am excited about this year.  We will begin homeschooling.  I've never been a teacher, and you've never been a student.  We will learn and grow together, you and I.  That's one of the things I love most about you, Jacky-Jack...Though you are my third child, you are constantly teaching me new things about myself and parenting (namely that I still don't know what I'm doing!).  You keep me on my toes.  Whether you are jumping into the deep end of the pool, throwing a massive temper tantrum in an ancient temple, or surprising me with an unsolicited kiss, you are teaching me to expect the unexpected and to live in the moment.

I love you to bits, sweet boy.  Happy 4th birthday!

Love,

Momma

P.S. This post was quite late this year...I was waiting for the perfect picture, and I think I found it, little monkey!